a. Obs. [f. ACCIDENT sb. + -ARY; as if ad. L. *accidentārius.] Sense 2 was the earlier in use; see ACCIDENT.
1. Fortuitous, casual; = ACCIDENTAL 1, 2.
1607. Walkington, Opt. Glasse of Hum., 34. For this accidentary death instance mote be given of many.
1655. Culpepper, Riverius, V. iv. 127. In some an accidentary Stammering cometh by a Catarrh.
1678. Cathol. Cause, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), II. 134. Those that erroneously refer all things unto … fortune, or such like accidentary events.
2. Having the nature of a logical accident, not affecting the essence, non-essential; = ACCIDENTAL 3, 4.
c. 1555. Harpsfield, Div. of Hen. VIII. (1878), 246. The second perfection … is not essential but accidentary.
1656. Hobbes, Six Less., Wks. 1845, VII. 218. Is not the circumduction of a semicircle accidentary to a sphere?
